Toy



Oct. 30, 1962 F. GILBERT ETAL 3,060,598

TOY

Filed Dec. 18. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 MAINVEIZ'FRS M1 BY MM WTEM 1952 F. GILBERT ETAL 3,060,598

TOY

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 18, 1961 Fig.3

INVENTORS $400201 9' M ATTORNEYS Oct. 30, 1962 F. GILBERT ETAL TOY 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 18, 1961 5 R O T N E V m j Zi/{ BY Km r 6 6 47 4] ATTORNEYS Oct. 30, 1962 F. GILBERT ETAL TOY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 18, 1961 INVENTORS BY 0e? 23 United States Patent ()fllice 3,060,598 Patented Oct. 30, 1962 Filed Dec. 18, 1961, Ser. No. 160,113 7 Claims. (Cl. 3512) This invention relates to a toy, and particularly to a toy flight simulator designed to give its pilot the illusion of being at the controls of his own jet or other airplane.

It is an object of the invention to provide simple and elfective means for presenting before the pilot a scene corresponding generally to what might be observed in an actual flight, the scene being presented in an approximately proper perspective, expanding realistically as it is caused to move from top to bottom of a screen, in such a way that the observer may feel he is actually moving with respect to the scenery being portrayed.

It is a further object to provide a small representation of an airplane silhouette against the moving scene, with means for moving it horizontally and vertically with respect to said scene and to bank on left or right turns, the small silhouette representing a leader which the pilot is following, by appropriate manipulation of coordinated controls, or even, by a transfer which is easily made by many children, representing the airplane which the pilot is operating.

It is another object to provide means for changing the appearance of the scene to represent changes in altitude as by diving toward the ground or climbing away from it.

It is a further object to provide realistic appearing controls which can easily be operated even by a young child in order to obtain the above described visual effects, and appropriate sound effects also, if desired.

It is another object to provide a scoring device, in combination with mechanism of the type described, designed to give audible and/or visible indications when the silhouette is moved to a predetermined position relative to a target or the like projected on the screen.

It is a further object to provide certain improvements in the form, construction, arrangement and materials of the several parts of the device whereby the above named and other objects may effectively be attained, this invention relating specifically to a modification of the invention set forth in the application of Felix Gilbert, Serial No. 160,112 filed contemporaneously herewith.

A practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 represents a front elevation of the flight simulator showing the relative positions of the control wheel, the control handles, the viewing screen and the silhouette;

FIG. 2 represents, on a larger scale, a vertical crosssection on the line II--II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 represents a detail vertical section on the line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 represents a detail Vertical section similar to FIG. 2 but with the silhouette moved to a higher position;

PG. 5 represents a diagrammatic vertical section showing how a change in position of the light source changes the appearance of the scene;

FIG. 6 represents a front view of the screen, corresponding to FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 represents a detail vertical section on the line VIIVII of FIG. 4, showing the silhouette moving mechanism;

FIG. 8 represents a detail vertical section on the line VII IVIII of FIG. 1 showing the light source operating handle mounting and connection;

FIG. 9 represents a detail vertical section on the line IX-IX of FIG. 1 showing the motor and light circuit operating handle;

FIG. 10 represents by Way of example a suitable wiring diagram for the light and motor; and

FIG. 11 represents in perspective a modified form of scene-bearing cylinder with added provision for scoring simulated hits on designated targets.

Referring to the drawings, the housing 1 has one face 2 designed to simulate an airplane instrument panel with a translucent window 3 in the middle, the housing having forwardly projecting side parts 1', 1" to form convenient supports for control levers, as described below. The window is preferably of tapering outline, narrower at the top than at the bottom, and may be of frosted glass or an equivalent translucent sheet of plastic material.

Within the housing, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, there is a pedestal 4, shown as being fixed to the bottom 5 of the housing and providing at its upper end a horizontal journal 6 for the axle 7 of the cylinder head 8. The cylinder head is circular with a diameter slightly greater than that of the cylindrical flange 9. The axle 7 has fixed on its free end a pinion 10 which is arranged to be driven slowly by the motor M through suitable reduction gearing represented conventionally by the small pinion 11. A belt and pulley drive could obviously be substituted if desired.

The flange 9 is adapted to receive and support one end of a cylindrical transparency 12 of self-supporting plastic and bearing on its surface a scene representing the view which the pilot is to see in the course of his simulated flights, the scene being, conventionally, an aerial view of fields, woods, Water, towns, etc. Alternatively, the scene may contain only stars, planets, satellites and the like so that the pilot may imagine himself engaged in flight through outer space. The cylindrical transparency 12 is fixed securely (but removably, if desired) on the flange 9, projecting horizontally across the interior of the housing and having its free end open and supported, for instance, by a pair of idler rollers 13, 13 or the like to eliminate any tendency toward sagging.

Projection of the scene on the window 3 is effected by locating a strong point source of light 14 (e.g., a flashlight bulb) within the cylinder 12 in a position such that a substantial part of the scene on the cylinder can be projected onto the window 3. It will be noted that the light 14 is nearer to the upper edge of the screen than to the lower edge, and that the course of the cylindrical transparency places it closer to the screen at the top but moving back away from the screen as it passes through the space between the light 14 and the screen surface. Thus a feature on the transparency represented by the arrow A (FIG. 2) is projected in the screen with only slight enlargement when it appears at the top of the screen as shown at B, and grows progressively larger as it moves toward the bottom, where the same sized arrow A has grown to the size indicated at B, thus giving the viewer a feeling of approaching distant objects and flying over or past them.

An additional illusion can be effected by changing the horizontal position of the light, as indicated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. The light 14 is shown as being supported on the end of a bracket arm 15 which projects in horizontally from a vertical rod 16 rotatably held in bearings 17, 17 on a side wall 18 of the housing 1. The lower end 19 of the rod 16 projects horizontally inward to engage in a slanting slot 20 in the inner end of a control lever 21, pivoted at 22 on the projecting part 1" of the housing. The exposed end 23 of the control lever may have any suitable configuration adapting it to be grasped by the pilots right hand and moved up or down. When the handle is moved up the end 19 is drawn toward the front of the housing and the light 14 is correspondingly moved forward, the efiect being illustrated diagrammatically in FIGS. 5 and 6. In its rearmost position the light will project a given feature on the cylinder (represented conventionally by the arrow C) on the screen so as to have only slightly enlarged dimensions as indicated at C in FIGS. 5 and 6. When the light is moved forward toward the top of the screen, the same arrow (C in FIG. 5) is projected to a much larger size, as shown at C" in FIGS. 5 and 6, the enlargement of all objects on the cylindrical transparency being on the same scale. The flying progress illusion resulting from the normal movement of the cylinder is transformed, during forward movement of the light, into an illusion of losing altitude, as in a dive. When the light is moved rearward the projected scene grows smaller, as if receding, giving the pilot a feeling of climbing or regaining altitude.

The motor M may receive its power from a battery 23 (FIG. the power being turned oflf and on by a switch or rheostat 25 actuated by a control handle 26 on the projecting part 1 of the housing, within easy reach of the pilots left hand. The circuit for the light 14 may conveniently be combined with the motor circuit as shown in FIG. 10 so that movement of the handle will first turn on the light and further movement will actuate the motor at varying speeds.

An important feature of the invention is the small airplane silhouette 27 positioned near the inner surface of the screen 3 so that its shadow will fall sharply on the screen in any position of the light 14. The silhouette is designed to be movable horizontally and vertically, one form of supporting and moving mechanism being the rack and pinion arrangement shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 7.

The opaque silhouette 27 is mounted on a transparent clear stem 28 projecting upward from a rack 29 which is slidably guided in an open track 30. The track may be formed integral with a sleeve 31 journaled in a steering post 32 which projects from the front of the housing below the middle of the window 3. An airplane-type control wheel 33 is fixed on the outer end of a control shaft 34 passing slidably through the sleeve 31. The inner portion of the shaft 34 is bifurcated by the provision of a slot 35 wide enough to accommodate the rack 29, and the upper surface of the shaft is serrated to form a split rack 36 along the bifurcated portion. The racks 29 and 36 should be similar so that both can mesh accurately with the teeth of the wide pinion 37 which is journaled in inward extensions of the sleeve 31.

The silhouette may be regarded as being in neutral position when it is centered in the screen, approximately as shown in FIG. 1. It can be moved to the right or left by turning the control Wheel accordingly, rocking the sleeve 31 about its axis and swinging all the parts carried thereby to a distance which should be limited by suitably placed stops, not shown, so that the silhouette will not leave the screen. Alternatively or simultaneously the silhouette may be moved up or down suitably limited distances by pulling out or pushing in the control wheel; as the control shaft 34 is moved out the rack 36 will rotate the pinion 37 in a direction to drive upward the rack 29, raising the silhouette, and as the control shaft is pushed in the pinion 37 is rotated oppositely to lower the rack 29 and the silhouette mounted thereon. Since lateral motion of the silhouette is around the axis of the sleeve 31, the shadow of the silhouette will be seen as banking properly whenever it is moved off center. Light springs tending to return the silhouette to neutral position can be provided if desired.

Additional interest can be provided by enabling the pilot to maneuver his aircraft over specified targets, as if on a bombing run, and to have successful accomplishment of such missions recorded or visibly and/ or audibly indicated. In FIG. 11 is shown a modified form of the device designed to attain these ends.

In this form the scenic transparency cylinder 40 is mounted and moved in the same way as the cylinder 12 of FIGS. 1 to 10 and the light 41 may also be mounted and moved in the same manner as the light 14. The silhouette moving arrangement is simplified by elimination of the racks and pinion, the silhouette 42 being supported on the upper end of a transparent stem 43 which is fixed to the inner end of the control shaft 44 (corresponding to shaft 35, but not slidable). This mounting permits the silhouette to be moved from side to side but not up and down.

Attached to the free end of the cylinder 40 is an additional narrower cylindrical collar 45 having raised knobs or buttons 46 projecting above its surface at selected points. Since each knob or button 46 corresponds to a target represented on the cylinder 40 the collar 45 may be made integrally with the cylinder or must at least be firmly fixed and keyed thereto. A switch comprising the contacts 47, 48 is carried on the upper end of a lever 49, pivoted at 50 on a bracket 51 fixed to the housing, the lever 49 preferably being rotatable in the same plane as the silhouette-supporting stem 43. The contact 48 is a flexible resilient blade having a rounded projection 48 near its outer end in a position to be engaged by the knobs 46 if the lever 49 is rotated to the proper position at a moment when the rotation of collar 45 is bringing a certain knob opposite the projection 48' on the contact blade 48. When the latter is thus engaged, it closes a circuit with the contact 47, through wires 52, battery 53 (which may be the same as battery 24) and a signal light 54, visible to the operator at any desired location on the front of the housing. A hell or other sounding device, or a counter, can be used in addition to, or in place of, the light 54, if desired. The lever 49 is rotated to its selected proper position through the link 55, pivotally secured at 56 to the stem 43 and at 57 to the lever 49, its point of engagement 56 with the stem 43 being closer to the axis of shaft 44 than its point of engagement 57 with lever 49 is to the pivot 50 so as to scale down the amplitude of movement. As shown, movement of the silhouette to the left will cause a shorter movement of the switch 47-48 to the right, and vice versa, but the switch can be made to move in the same sense as the silhouette by connecting the link above the pivot point 50, if desired. In this arrangement the transparency cylinder and its attached collar need not carry any electrical wiring or contacts; the knobs or buttons 46 act as simple cams to close the adjacent switch 47-4S under predetermined conditions, and since the knobs or buttons are rounded they can never cause any jamming or injury to the switch contacts no matter how the rounded projection 48 may be moved.

The knobs or buttons 46 may, if desired, be replaced by conductive material, such as small areas of metal foil, designed to close a circuit between a pair of fixed contacts (similar to contacts 4748 but both brushing the surface of collar 45) or to close a circuit between one such contact and a circuit element carried by the collar.

It will be understood that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and hence we do not intend to be limited to the details herein shown or described except as the same are included in the claims or may be required by disclosures of the prior art.

What we claim is:

1. A toy flight simulator comprising a housing, a translucent viewing screen in one side of said housing, a point source of light within the housing and spaced from said screen, a cylinder bearing pictorial material in the form of a transparency, and means for turning said cylinder on its axis in order to pass said pictorial material downward through the space between the light and the screen, the light source being located within the cylinder and the surface of the cylinder lying closest to the screen in the vicinity of the upper edge of the screen.

2. A toy flight simulator according to claim 1 in which the ratio of the light-to-cylinder distances to the cylinderto-screen distances is greatest on a line from the light to the upper part of the screen and decreases progressively on lines from the light to lower points of the screen down to the bottom thereof.

3. A toy flight simulator according to claim 1 in which the means for turning the cylinder is a motor, and which includes means for driving the motor optionally at diflerent speeds.

4. A toy flight simulator according to claim 1 which includes an airplane silhouette, means for supporting the silhouette between the screen and the cylinder, and means for moving the silhouette to points adjacent selected different parts of the screen.

5. A toy flight simulator according to claim 4 in which the silhouette moving means includes means for moving the silhouette laterally about an axis below the center line of the screen.

6. A toy flight simulator according to claim 5 which includes relatively movable contact means for causing a perceptible indication of the juxtaposition of the silhouette with the projection of a predetermined pictorial feature on the screen to be given.

7. A toy flight simulator according to claim 6 in which said contact means is in an electric circuit and constitut ing a switch adapted to open and close as a function of the relative positions of the silhouette and the cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,265,598 Firestone et al Dec. 9, 1941 2,943,855 Javna et al. July 5, 1960 3,012,779 Friedman Dec. 12, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 714,921 Great Britain Sept. 8, 1954 

